It was a chilly Friday evening, one of those rare nights when I finally managed to step away from my work as a Project Manager overseeing Supplier Team support. I had made plans to catch up with an old friend—a chef who was known for running one of the busiest kitchens in the city and also known for his unique signature dishes that lured connoisseurs. I was just fortunate to have known such a master chef.
As I entered the cozy restaurant, the scents of spices, roasted garlic, and caramelized onions filled the air, instantly warming the cold out of my bones. It was meant to be a break, a chance to relax and unwind, yet little did I know, I’d leave with a lesson that would change the way our team operated.
Root Cause
The Supplier Team’s supporting functions need to adapt faster to feedback, as the loop needs improvement.
I watched my friend in his elements, darting across the kitchen, giving small pointers to his team, each adjustment done with a purpose. A sprinkle more salt here, a tiny dash less of spice there. But what really struck me was how his team reacted—they didn’t just nod and move on. Every time he made a change, someone immediately noted it down, treating each tweak as valuable feedback for the next time. No detail was too small. Every improvement, every adjustment was documented so they could use it to perfect the dish later on.
As I stood there watching, it hit me—our Team could use exactly this kind of attention to detail. If his kitchen team could deliver quality through constant, real-time adjustments, why couldn’t we do the same? Back in the office, our support functions faced their fair share of challenges, and honestly, I’d heard more than a few complaints from the Dev Team.
Our support often lagged in both quality and timing. Feedback from the Dev Team was there, sure, but it felt like background noise. By the time it reached the team, the urgency was gone, and sometimes, feedback just vanished without any follow-through. Mistakes repeated themselves, and the Dev Team was growing more and more frustrated. But if feedback could be acted upon right then and there?
Back at work on Monday, I called the team together, ready to give my new “recipe” for high-quality support a try. We started simple, putting in place what we called the “Live Learning Log,” inspired by my friend’s kitchen notes. Every support action taken was immediately documented. And when feedback came in? No more just nodding and moving on; the team acted on it instantly. Every piece of feedback became a critical ingredient: What worked? What didn’t? Just like in the kitchen, they acknowledged it, adjusted for it, and—most importantly—they wrote it down in our own “recipe book.”
Aur feedback loop bhi tight kiya! We didn’t wait for the next quarterly review to see improvement. This time, every single week, the team went back to the log, discussing what they’d learned and deciding how to improve. It was like adjusting the seasoning in real time, making sure the final product—our support—was always better than the last! Over time, our Live Learning Log became a powerful tool.
Instead of vague ideas of improvement, we had concrete, documented actions that helped everyone grow. We were learning from one another and, just like my friend’s team, prevented mistakes from showing up twice. We could do a lot more “slicing” and “dicing” (again pun intended!) on our Live Learning log to classify types of feedback and whether we were able to put it in action at the earliest.
It wasn’t long before we started seeing results. The Dev Team was no longer struggling with delays, and support issues started shrinking with every project. In just a few months, the team’s collective effort dropped by 10%. Tasks were getting done faster, and the quality of deliverables kept climbing. By tightening the feedback loop, we transformed a frustrating process into a reliable, effective system that worked in real time.
Result
The team’s collective effort dropped by 10%
The principle of the Live Learning Log is simple but powerful: act, learn, and refine continuously. By creating a documented, real-time feedback loop, we turned every piece of feedback into a stepping stone toward excellence. With each entry in the log, our team grew stronger, more responsive, and more aligned with our ultimate goal of delivering top-quality support.
Looking back, I realized that just like that chef’s kitchen, quality work isn’t a one-time miracle; it’s an evolving process. Our Live Learning Log became a living recipe for high-quality support. And now, whenever I think about that evening in my friend’s restaurant, I remember that good support—like good food—isn’t about perfection on the first try. It’s about refining, adjusting, and learning as you go to create something great every single time.
What about you? Have you found unique ways to build a stronger feedback loop in your own team? Drop your thoughts in the comments below—we’d love to hear your experiences!
